


Champagne problems

by Spaceprincealenko



Category: Mass Effect Trilogy
Genre: Cancer characters being crybabies, F/M, What else is new?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-04
Updated: 2021-01-04
Packaged: 2021-03-14 11:54:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,458
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28545156
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Spaceprincealenko/pseuds/Spaceprincealenko
Summary: Azalea didn't have a family, said so right in her file, no next of kin, emergency contact anything. There were people who brought her into the world certainly, but no one she considered family. It did bother her, all she ever wanted as a child was a family of her own,  people who loved her, who wanted her around, who didn't hurt her.
Relationships: Kaidan Alenko/Female Shepard
Comments: 2
Kudos: 2





	Champagne problems

**Author's Note:**

  * For [crqstalite](https://archiveofourown.org/users/crqstalite/gifts).



Azalea didn't have a family, said so right in her file, no next of kin, emergency contact anything. There were people who brought her into the world certainly, but no one she considered family. It did bother her, all she ever wanted as a child was a family of her own, people who loved her, who wanted her around, who didn't hurt her. 

Azalea looked around the party where people were chatting happily with each other, she had wanted to invite the Normandy crew. Well, no, crew wasn't the right word. At first she tried not to get attached, after all they were just together because they were pursuing the same goal. It wasn't until Virmire that she realized they were more than just crew to her, they were friends. Azalea regretted that it took losing Ashley to help her come to that realization, and even more so that she never told her. 

"I thought the lady of the hour would be out with her adoring public." Kaidan teased, snapping her out of her thoughts.

Azalea scoffed "If they want me they can come find me." She said, taking the flute of champagne from him.

"I think Aljiani already is." 

Azalea rolled her eyes "Of course she is and it doesn't help, I'm dressed like a purple disco ball." She said, gesturing to her long sequin dress. 

"You are not, I think you look lovely." Kaidan assured her, planting a kiss on her cheek.

"Thanks…" she sighed, looking out into the ballroom. 

"What's wrong Lea?"

"Nothing just….I know I'm supposed to be happy that the reapers are gone and I am, don't get me wrong."

"But?"

"The entire time I was in the hospital I was alone, I wished I had someone with me and when I was conscious and lucid enough to answer questions they asked if I had family to call and you know what I told them?"

"What?"

"I said no, because I didn't, I had no idea where the Normandy was, Anderson was dead and I don't have a family. It made me realize how alone I was."

"Family isn't always blood related Lea."

"What do you mean?"

"You don't think of the Normandy crew as family?" 

Kaidan was the only crew member that surpassed friendship but they weren't family either. The thing is though, Azalea wasn't really sure what family was supposed to be like, she had an idea but what if they didn't feel the same way? 

"Do you consider them family?"

Kaidan nodded "I do, especially during the war when most of us didn't even know if our families were safe."

"Do you think they feel the same way?"

Kaidan shrugged taking a sip of the expensive champagne the council provided "I don't know, what I do know is if they didn't view you as more than their boss they wouldn't have followed you to hell and back, on more than one occasion."

"But with Saren and the Collector base we were practically strangers."

"Okay, fair but you care about your people Lea," she struggled with being compassionate and was the most ruthless person he'd ever met but when she cared about someone she'd go above and beyond for them and it's why he loved her, why they all loved her "I bet if you messaged them right now and asked any of them they'd tell you the same thing I just did."

Azalea looked away, brow furrowed and her cheeks red "That'd be too embarrassing…"

"My point is Lea, family doesn't always have to be blood related."  
"It's who I choose?"

"Exactly, you had a family, whether you knew it or not."

"Huh I guess I never-" 

Azalea was cut off by the new asari councilor taking the stage "I'd like to thank everyone for coming to the reaper memorial charity ball," Azalea drowned out most of what the councilor was saying, it wasn't for her just the rich people who bought tickets to fill their charity quota for the year. Azalea still thought the name was awful, she couldn't speak for everyone but to her it sounded like they were mourning the reapers not celebrating their destruction.   
"Now if our guest of honor would come to the stage for a few words." Kaidan nudged her with his elbow "what?" She asked, turning to him.

"She's talking about you Lea."

"Huh?" She looked in the direction of the stage and saw that every guest had their eyes on her "but I didn't even prepare one!" She protested as an Alliance official escorted her to the front of the ballroom against her will. Azalea's glass of champagne was switched out for a microphone before she even knew what was happening "Wha-Kaidan?" She turned around but he was nowhere to be found.

Azalea may have hated these things just for the sake of it but Kaidan was shy as a rule so it was no wonder he dashed off at the idea of being in front of a crowd but a little backup would've been nice. Azalea squinted at the blinding stage lights hanging in front of her, a loss for words as she stared out into the crowd of guests eagerly waiting to hear what she had to say. 

"Um yeah, as the councilor said, thanks for coming…" she didn't get paid to make speeches she got paid to kill reapers so she wasn't exactly sure what they expected from her "we lost a lot thanks to the reapers so your donations are going to a great cause." She racked her brain trying to think of one meaningful thing to say and she was brought back to her conversation with Kaidan moments before.

"And I'm sorry, I know you all lost your family and your friends and that no amount of money we raise here will ever make up for that, I tried to do more, I really did," she'd always blame the council for their inaction until it was too late, she'd take it to her grave but tonight wasn't about her every growing anger towards politicians, it's about the people who weren't in the position to fight the reapers like she was "If there is one thing this war has taught me is that family isn't who you're born to it is who you'd die for." 

"If it hadn't been for the crew of the Normandy, my family, I wouldn't be here giving you this poor excuse of a speech, I know everyone likes to give me the credit but I wasn't working alone and some of them gave their life just so we could be here having this stupid fundraiser." Azalea thought of Ashley, who still remained her best friend and Thane who valiantly gave his life even though he was dying and how she'd give anything to have them back. 

Azalea hadn't asked any of the other crew to come, mainly because she didn't want to be here either, but now she found herself missing them "anyway um, enjoy the rest of the party." She shoved the microphone into the hands of the same Alliance official that dragged her onto the stage in the first place and quickly fled because she knew better than anyone what a cry baby she was and would rather have the reapers come back than burst into tears in front of a crowd of strangers. 

"That was a beautiful speech Lea." Kaidan said as he pulled her against his side.

"Shut up." She sniffed, wiping her eyes and smudging her eyeliner in the process. 

Kaidan took out the neatly folded pocket square out from the front of his jacket, using it to wipe her eyes. Azalea was almost positive that's not why it was there but she wasn't in a position to turn it down "Thanks…" she sniffed again "do you think they would've liked it?"

"I'm positive." 

"I think I'll message everyone tomorrow, see how they're doing."   
Kaidan smiled "I'm sure they'd love to hear from you."

"Yeah, it'd be nice..." Azalea took her champagne glass from him and walked over to the memorial wall, the exact one from the Normandy. Azalea ran her hands over Anderson's name plaque, her own had been removed when it was revealed she had survived but Anderson's remained. Tears stung her eyes again and this time she let them fall freely, he was the only positive parental figure she had and she had killed him. 

The Alliance appointed therapist she was given told her it wasn't her fault but Azalea never believed her, she should've been stronger, but she wasn't, in that moment she was weak to the power the reapers held and it caused her to kill the only father she ever had.


End file.
